History and Social Science

GOVT.8

The student will apply social science skills to understand the organization and powers of the state and local governments described in the Constitution of Virginia by

examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches;

examining the structure and powers of local governments (county, city, and town);

analyzing the relationship between state and local governments and the roles of regional authorities, governing boards, and commissions;

investigating and explaining the ways individuals and groups exert influence on state and local governments; and

evaluating the effectiveness of citizen efforts to influence decisions of state and local governments by examining historical or contemporary events.

GOVT.9

The student will apply social science skills to understand the process by which public policy is made by

defining public policy and determining how to differentiate public and private action;

examining different perspectives on the role of government;

describing how the national government influences the public agenda and shapes public policy by examining examples such as the Equal Rights Amendment, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965;

describing how the state and local governments influence the public agenda and shape public policy;

investigating and evaluating the process by which policy is implemented by the bureaucracy at each level;

analyzing how the incentives of individuals, interest groups, and the media influence public policy; and

devising a course of action to address local and/or state issues.

GOVT.15

The student will apply social science skills to understand the role of government in the Virginia and United States economies by

describing the provision of government goods and services that are not readily produced by the market;

describing government’s establishment and maintenance of the rules and institutions in which markets operate, including the establishment and enforcement of property rights, contracts, consumer rights, labor-management relations, environmental protection, and competition in the marketplace;

investigating and describing the types and purposes of taxation that are used by local, state, and federal governments to pay for services provided by the government;

analyzing how Congress can use fiscal policy to stabilize the economy;

describing the effects of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy on price stability, employment, and the economy; and